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Struggling to manage Thistle's pain

Things were going well for a few weeks. But Thistle has been in a lot more pain lately (the last 2 weeks). We went from 3x100mg of gabapentin to make her happy, then 4x100. Now 3x200mg just to keep her from screaming, even when she calms down she's laying and panting with her skin twitching uncomfortably. She can barely do anything without being reduced to scratching, and then the whimpering and screaming starts.

I just gave her another dose of the gabapentin, so today is an 800 mg day.

It can't go on like this, I need sleep. And it's just torture to keep Thistle like this. I keep saying it'll get better, but it just gets harder and harder to deal with.

Riley has never been on Gabapentin, but I would talk to her neurologist about maybe switching to Lyrica. It seems like that a better medication for some SM dogs. I know other dogs on this forum are on Lyrica so maybe they'll be able to give you better advice about it. It she on any other meds also, like a CSF inhibitor? Poor baby.

I have no advice other than you obviously need to chat with her neurologist about this but I'm so sorry to hear Thistle is not feeling well. Please keep us posted and sending happy healthy thoughts your way.

Melissa
"If you don't own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life."
-Roger Caras

I think you are still in Belgium? In that case, you may have had the same area of high pressure that we have had for several weeks now, and many of our SM dogs are suffering. So you may find that Thistle's pain reduces as the pressure drops and it becomes manageable again. Lyrica could be one option, or adding a straight pain reliever like Rimadyl or Metacam on the bad days. I know how you feel - a couple of days ago I sat with my thoroughly miserable dog on my lap and thought 'I hate SM, and anyone who thinks it isn't a serious illness (potentially serious for every Cavalier) is a blinkered idiot!' I do hope your neurologist will be able to come up with some solutions.

I have rimadyl, but it never seems to do anything. She is also taking omeprazole in the evening.

We are probably dealing with the high pressure Kate mentioned. I've been trying to keep an eye on the pressure, but the numbers don't really mean that much to me, and it never seems like we get a big change.

Riley has never been on Gabapentin, but I would talk to her neurologist about maybe switching to Lyrica. It seems like that a better medication for some SM dogs. I know other dogs on this forum are on Lyrica so maybe they'll be able to give you better advice about it. It she on any other meds also, like a CSF inhibitor? Poor baby.

I seem to always agree with you . Ella was on several drugs but she got to the point that I was considering another surgery. I think I switched to lyrica around that time. All I know is lyrica was a miracle drug for her and I noticed a significant improvement. She even reduced some of her other meds (I think). I know for some that they is significant improvement, so much so we have to pay much more since there is no generic (I know the generic was coming out in 2013 so im not sure if changed). She also took tramadol for pain and other medications/acupuncture that are listed on treatment plan. I would definately see if lyrica helps but some dogs it doesn't but for Ella, I think it saved her.

I feel so bad for you and little thistle. I think others have given you good advice. Clearly she is in extreme pain right now. Maybe you can try to add another pain medication just for short term, but it sounds like trying the lyrica might be the trick. I hope you can figure this out. I am not a strong person and I can't bare to have my dogs in pain. I don't know if I could do long term what all the other SM dog owners have done for their dogs. The crying breaks my heart.

'the numbers don't really mean that much to me' Average pressure in the UK is 1013 millibars. For most of the past two weeks it has been around 1036. It wasn't a sudden rise, just an inexorable creep, and it looks as if it's going to stay high for a few days yet.